How can art and war be reconciled? It would seem that art has no place on the battlefield, where men are too concerned with survival and personal glory to indulge in aesthetic appreciation. However, the union between art and Aeneas's shield in the Aeneid literally represents the divine aegis enjoyed not only by Aeneas, but also by Rome. The shield of Aeneas shifts the concept of the future from the abstract and imperceptible realm of the divine to the physical world, illustrating how art is the embodiment of the divine on earth. The combination of the divine and the mortal in the artwork of the Aeneid suggests an element of creation that parallels Virgil's creation of the epic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe shield that Aeneas receives is of divine origin, forged by Vulcan. It is interesting to note, however, that Virgil emphasizes the link between the divine and mortal worlds through the placement of Vulcan's workshop “near the coast of Sicily…all of rock and smoke” (8.569). While the Gods are typically removed from the mortal realm, Vulcan is placed in a conspicuously earthly setting. The materials used in its crafting further reflect the fusion of the divine and the mortal. Aeneas' armor consists not only of the raw, primordial ingredients of "molten brass, gold, and iron" (8.599) but also of natural forces and other supernatural elements, such as his sword "hard-edged with destiny" (8.841) . The conception of art as something that has a supernatural element in it is also evident in the art that decorates the shield itself, which depicts “shields fallen from the sky” (8.899). Virgil leaves no doubt about the superiority of the armor created by Vulcan. The poet does this to illustrate the clear division between mortal and immortal ability, but ultimately the armor is still worn by a man. In this sense, despite the god's superiority, they still have to rely on humanity for change in the mortal realm: they cannot simply found Rome on their own. The fusion of the divine and mortal aspects of the shield reflects the cooperation of man and man. god necessary to create on earth, a theme that runs throughout the epic. Aeneas alone is unable to found Rome, he needs the help of the gods. The creation of the shield is a symbolic representation of this assisted creation as it allows Aeneas to found Rome through its physical protection. The gods' necessity for Aeneas' struggle to found Rome is evident when Turnus' "treacherous blade on impact broke" on Aeneas' divinely crafted armor, a protection that saves Aeneas's life and allows him to continue his research. The creation of the shield itself also serves as a kind of metonym for the divine force of destiny that insists on the creation of Rome, as Aeneas is literally protected from the future, as depicted on his shield. The artwork present on Aeneas' shield presents the same characteristics of divine and human cooperation for the purpose of creation. The assistance of the divine is also an integral part of Virgil's poetic art, as illustrated by the invocation of the muse. The elements of divinity and mortality evident in both artistic endeavors illustrate the need for fusion for human creation. The aspects of creation associated with the shield are central to Virgil's depiction of art in the Aeneid. Virgil creates a parallel between Vulcan's drawing of Rome's future on Aeneas' shield and his poetic creation of Rome's history for Augustus. This parallel illustrates the role art has in providing a sense of identity. In the Aeneid, Virgil emphasizes the sense of purpose and identity that art creates whenhe writes that the art of the shield was a marvel to Aeneas, and he "took delight in their images, carrying upon his shoulders all the destined deeds and fame of his descendants” (8.989). Before the creation of the shield, Aeneas had been exposed to Rome's fate in the underworld and was forced to forget his descendants when he left. By introducing the physical shield, however, Virgil is able to give Aeneas a definite sense of the future and a comfort in his actions, much like the. Virgil's Aeneid would instill a sense of stability and divine purpose in his era. Virgil reinforces the power of art to influence reality through the scene of the underworld, in which Aeneas exits through the "ivory glow... through which they come. sent false dreams", suggesting that his father's vision, and the corresponding artwork on the shield, regarding Roman glory is not accurate. In this scene, it appears that Virgil is ironically commenting on Augustus as a source of Roman propaganda. The sense of divine influence that Virgil creates through co-creation between mortals and gods in the Aeneid is further emphasized by the immediacy of divine involvement in the shield artwork. The shield artwork emphasizes that the Roman people are favored by the "winds and the gods" (8.922) and that the Romans' success is due to their "immortal offerings to the gods of Italy" (8.967). In the artwork on the shield, Virgil depicts the specter of hell looming in the distance to remind the Romans' "virtuous souls" to remain pious. The connection between the gods and the Romans simultaneously illustrates the divine protection and good favor enjoyed by the Romans, and also illustrates the role of art as a partner in creating reality for Virgil's audience. In the epic, the divine connection shown through the shield given to Aeneas and on the shield itself represents the fulfillment of the Roman conception of an "endless empire" and provides Aeneas with a goal to strive towards. When “the gods of every race took up their weapons against our [the Romans] Neptune, Venus and Minerva…” (8.947) they were soundly defeated. This sense of Roman inevitability is incorporated into the epic. In turn, Virgil's own epic similarly provides the Roman people with a sense of confidence in the permanence of their government. The connection with the divine illustrated by the shield, however illusory, becomes real in the consciousness of the people listening to Virgil: art brought it into being. The creation of the artwork of the shield of Aeneas not only brings the Roman Empire into artistic existence within the framework of the epic, but also within the framework of a literary tradition. While Achilles' shield depicts the constant oscillation between war and peace, Aeneas' shield is characterized by the exultation of the Roman people as an unbeatable force, a people whose "conquered races passed in a long procession" (8.975). Virgil's description of Aeneas's shield clearly marks Rome's rise to glory, while Homer describes its two cities as generic and gloomy, tainted by violence in both the city of peace and that of war. Virgil's incorporation of the shield scene into his epic therefore not only recognizes Greek tradition, but consciously seeks to surpass it by creating a glorified Roman identity. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom Essay In Virgil's epic Aeneid, Aeneas' shield is clearly visible as both an object of war and an object of peace. The combination of these two disciplines is essential to Aeneas's conception of art and his influence in the Roman Empire. Virgil's depiction of the shield usefully creates a story in the context of the Aeneid, but it also creates the story and,.